Nickel alloy



Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRUMAN S. FULLER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YOBK,A SSIGNOB To EEC- TBIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Ro Drawing. Application filed February This application sets forth an invention comprising a new a'loy, and constitutes a contmuation in part of my prior application, Ser. No. 699,894, filed March 17, 1924.

In this prior application. which covers in particular a process of improving the physical properties of certain alloys, I have also described a new alloy or metal composition comprising nickel, copper, aluminum and carbon as constitutents.

I desire in thepresent application to make claims on an alloy composition constituted largely of nickel and copper which also contains certain correlated proportions of aluminum and carbon as set forth with particularity in the appended claims without restriction to-;any treatment to which the alloys may be subjected during the course of manufacture.

An alloy comprising by weight about twothirds parts of nickel and one-third art of copper and known as Monel metal is used for some purposes because of its-non-corrodibility. However, by reason oi its only moderate tensile strength and relatively low elastic limit, this allo is excluded from many industrial uses w ich require a metal having physical properties iqiproiitimating the properties of steel. I have discovered that by the presence of both aluminum and carbon indefinitely relaited proportions nickel-copper alloys are I rendered susceptible to treatment which proiduces marked improvements in physical properties, particularly in the elasticity of the alloys. The amount of aluminum may vary dyer-several per cent and the amount of'carbon over several tenths ofwme per cent,

the -aluminum and carbon contents being associated in an inverse ratio with respect to plain'igd.

Theaadvantages of my invention may be best appreciated from the following specific example. An allo comprising about 60 to 75 parts of nickel, a at to parts of copper. about 2.5 parts of aluminum and one bnother as hereinafter more fully exabout 0.16 to 0.17 parts of carbon when forged, or otherwise deformed, below about 1000 C. and suitably heat treated has an ultimate tensile'strength varying from about 123,000 to 144,000 pounds to the square inch, an elastic limit varying from about 85,000 to 103,000 pounds to the uare inch and has a reduction of area at t e break varying three per cent.

iircxnr. ALLOY.

16, 1925. A Serial Ho. 9,425.

from about 51 to 5806. The specific physic'al properties. vary somewhat with the conditions of working, heat treating and so forth. Ordinarily Monel metal when sub- ]ected to the same conditions and treatmept has a materiall lower elastic. limit and loiver tensile strengt l. The elastic property of a nickel-copper al'oy may be improved over.40% when'alumin'um and carbon are present in properly related proportion.

In carrying out my invention, an alloy of copper and nickel is pre ared by any ruitable method, for examp e, by simple fusion of the nickel and the copper in desired proportions. The nickel content may bevaried considerably but ordinarily should' be, as high as 50 per cent, the copper content being increased as the nickel content is decreased. The desired amount of alumigum is stirred into the molten nickel-copper alloy, preferably in an amount less than The carbon may be introduced as a high carbon cast iron or other suitable carbon-containing material. Preferably some deoxidizer. such as manganese, also is added to the al'oy. If desired the carbon may be introduced as spiegeleisen with the manganese.

As alread j indicated the carbon content preferably siould be varied in an inverse measure'with the aluminum'content. The aluminum content in general'may vary from about one-half of one per cent to five per cent. The carbon content may vary from about 0.40 to 0.03 per cent, the higher carbon content being used with the lower aluminum content and vice versa. A preferred alloy contains about 2.5 per cent aluminum and about .16 per cent carbon.

The preparation and advantages of. an alloy embodying my invention may be illustrated by the following specific case. To a molten alloy of about 65 parts nickel and 35 parts copper about 2.5 to 3.5 parts of aluminum are admixed by stirring. About 1.5 parts of manganese are stirred into the melt andabout 2.5 to 5 partsby weight of high carbon cast iron are added, thereby introducing about 0.1 to 0.2 per cent of carbon into the alloy.

After the carbon has been added about one-tenth of one per cent of magnesium is stirred into the melt as described and claimed in a copending application, Serial No. 699,895, filed by Eric T. Asp on March 17. 1924. The addition some effect on the grain of the. alloy and renders it more forgeable.

When an alloy thus prepared is. forged at temperatures below 1000 C. in accordance with the method claimed in my rior application, Serial No. 699,894, filed arch 17, 1924, the remarkable physical properties are developed to the highest degree. For example, the metal may be forged first at about 1000 C. or somewhat lower andpreferably finished atabout 750 C. or even at a lower temerature.

After forging the alloy is treated by holding the same at 500 to 700 C. for about six hours and then cooling slowly, that is bringing the alloy to/room temperature in several hours.

The wrought metal thus .roduced has physical properties comparable to a high grade of steel whiie still retaining the corrosion-resisting pro erties of ordinary copper-nickel alloys. t is particularly useful for industrial applications requiring a combination of both roperties, for example, turbine buckets and marine devices.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An alloy consisting mainly of nickel and copper and containing from about onehalfto five.per cent aluminum and from about 0.40 to 0.03 per cent carbon, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

2.A wrought alloy comprising at least about 50 per cent nickel containing about one-half to five per cent of aluminum and from about 0.40 to 0.03 per cent of carbon, the balance of the alloy being predominantly copper, said alloy being characterized by a tensile strength in excess of about 100,000 pounds per square inch, an elastic limit in excess o 80,000 and a high ducti ity.

3. An alloy com rising by weight of about two-thirds nic el and one-third copper and containing about 2.5 per cent alu minum and about 0.16 per cent carbon, and

of magnesium has of I aluminum is pounds to the square inch.

having when forged'an elasticity equal to high: rade steel.

4., n alloy comprising about 60 parts nickel, about parts copper, about 2.5 parts aluminum, about DIG-parts carbon, about 1.5 parts manganese and about 2.5 parts iron, said alloy being capable of developing by mechanical work and heat treatment a tensile strength as high as about 120,000 pounds per square inch and an elastic limit approximating 100,000 pounds per square inc 5. An alloy consisting mainly of nickel and copper, the nickel being in excess of the copper and containing about one-half to five per cent aluminum and about .40 to .03 per cent carbon, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

6. An .alloy comprising 60' to 75 parts nickel and 25 to 40 arts copper, and containing one-half to ve per cent aluminum and .40. to .03 per cent carbon, the hi her aluminum content in a given alloy in associated with the lower carbon content an vice versal V a 7. An alloy containing nickel, 60p er, aluminum and "carbon wherein the nickel content'is in excess of per cent, the content cent, the carbon contentirom .40 to .03'per cent, the predominating-- metal of the remaining content being copper, the lngher aluminum content in a given alloy being associatedxwith the lower carbon content and vice versa. 7

8. An alloy containing nickel, copper, aluminum and carbon, wherein the nickel content is noteubstantiallly less than 50 per cent, the content of aluminum is from onehalf to five per cent, the carbon content from .40 'to*..03 per cent, the predominating metalaof the remaining content being cop-' 'per, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

1 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of February, 1925.

TRUMAN S. FULLER.

from i-one-half to five per 17. 1924. The addition of magnesium has some efiect on the grain of the alloy and renders it more forgeable.

\Vhen an alloy thus prepared is forged at temperatures below 1000 C. in accordance with the method claimed in my rior a plication, Serial No. 699,894, filed. arch 1t, 1924, the remarkable physical properties are developed to the highest degree. For example, the metal may be forged first at about 1000 C. or somewhat lower and'preferably finished at about 750 C. or even at a lower temperature.

After forging the alloy is treated by holding the same at 500 to 700 C. for about six hours and then cooling slowly, that is bringing the alloy to/room temperature in several hours.

The wrought metal thus produced has physical properties comparable to a high grade of steel while still retaining the corrosion-resisting properties of ordinary copper-nickel alloys. It is particularly useful for industrial applications requiring a combination of both properties, for example, turbine buckets and marine devices.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An alloy consisting mainly of nickel and copper and containing from about onehalf to fiveper cent aluminum and from about 0.40 to 0.03 per cent carbon, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

2.-A Wrought alloy comprising at least about per cent nickel containing about one-half to five per cent of aluminum and from about 0.40 to 0.03 per cent of carbon, the balance of the alloy being predominantly copper, said alloy being characterized by a tensile strength in excess of about 100,000 pounds per square inch, an elastic limit in excess of 80,000 pounds to the square inch.

and a high ductility.

3. An alloy comprising by weight of about two-thirds nickel and one-third copper and containing about 2.5 per cent alu? minum and about 0.16 per cent carbon, and

Certificate Patent No. 1,623,948.

of Correction.

having when forged an elasticity equal to high grade steel.

4. 11 alloy comprising about parts nickel, about 35 parts copper, about 2.5 parts aluminum, about 0.16 parts carbon, about 1.5 parts manganese and about 2.5 parts iron, said alloy being capable of developing by mechanical work and heat treatment a tensile strength as high as about 120,000 pounds per square inch and an elastic limit approximating 100,000 pounds per square inc 1.

5. An alloy consisting mainly of nickel and copper, the nickel being in excess of the copper and containing about one-half to five per cent aluminum and about .40 to .03 per cent carbon, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

6. An alloy comprising 60 to parts nickel and 25 to 40 parts copper, and containing one-half to five per cent aluminum and .40 to .03 per cent carbon, the higher aluminum content in a. given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa'.

7. An alloy containing nickel, cop er, aluminum and carbon wherein the nic el content is in excess of 50 per cent, the content of aluminum is from one-half to five per cent, the carbon content from .40 to .03 per cent, the predominating metal of the remaining content being copper, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carboncontent and vice versa.

8. An alloy containing nickel, copper, aluminum and carbon, wherein the nickel content is not substantially less than 50 per cent, the content of aluminum is from onehalf to five per cent, the carbon content from .40 to .03 per cent, the predominating metal. of the remaining content being copper, the higher aluminum content in a given alloy being associated with the lower carbon content and vice versa.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of February, 1925.

TRUMAN S. FULLER.

Granted April 5, 1927, to'

TRUMAN S. FULLER. It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abovenumbered patent r Ordinarily read this correction therein that the same may conform Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of May,

[sun] uiring correction as follows: rd'l'nary; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with Page 1, line 59, for the word to the record of the case in the Certificate of Correction.

Patent No. 1,623,948. Granted April 5, 1927, to

TRUMAN S. FULLER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abovenumbered patent re uiring COI'IBCUOI] as follows: Page 1, line 59, for the word Ordinarily read rdinary; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctlon therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of May, A. D. 1927.

[mm] e M. J. MOORE, 4

Acting Uonwhissioner of Patents. 

